This Week in Student Services...
Student Services - Reading College
Counting down to Easter!
Can you belive that we're in April Already, with Easter holidays just around the corner??
I'm sure we'll all be thankful for a fortnight without the students, to get our heads down and catch up ready for the next Open Evening in May!
Or...for those lucky ones amongst us having some time off over Easter, it's the perfect opportunity to enjoy the calm before the storm! :p
Here's looking forward to a lovely (hopefully sunny) Easter and a busy Summer!
Speaking of work getting busier...
...Fancy a pint?
Then pop down to the Rivermead Leisure Complex, Richfield Avenue, on Saturday 26th April, when Beerfest will be coming to Reading to host our very own German Beer Festival!
Sounds like a lovely way to spend a Saturday after a working week. So, who's round is it then? :p
For more details, please see the website and leaflet below :)
Staff Successes
Congratulations to Kristine!
Kristine has successfully passed the first stage of her PTLLS course, getting full marks for her first assignment. We all know how hard you've been working and it's obviously paid off!
Kristine's next step will be to write an essay on 'Assessment' and to prepare for MICRO-teach, encompassing aspects such as lesson-planning and (how exciting is this!) actual teaching!
Congratulations Kristine, and best of luck with the rest of the course. Exciting things to come! :)
Introducing our new rookie reporter & Co-editor Neil!
Yes, that's right! - The wonderful Neil will be joining me in reporting for the newsletter each week, and helping me put everything together.
He's done a fantastic job so far, and I'd like to say a huge thank you for all of his work and great writing!
And finally...a big well done to our new student crew!
As you all know, Flavia and Bruno have recently joined our Student Crew team. And someone else is on their way too...
A massive well done (and thank you!) to the new crew for all of their hard-work. They're certainly picking things up quickly, and are already part of the team here in Student Services.
Advice & Admissions
Neil's birthday surprise
Neil celebrated his birthday by fulfilling a life-long ambition to fly the Tardis!
He got the famous keys in Cardiff on Saturday and immediately went off to see the dinosaurs!
Then, he went to the future and is happy to report that each and every one of you are amazing - in fact, one of you has become Prime Minister, another is married to Prince George and Reading College now has a campus on the moon!
Happy Holidays!
As jealous as we all are of Vanessa jetting off to Cuba, Yvonne to Florida, and Samina to Turkey, just as April showers threaten their terrible return, we would like to wish them all a wonderful and relaxing holiday!
It'll be Sandra's turn next, with her China trip in May rapidly approaching! As always, we'll all club together to help with any work we can whlist Vanessa, Yvonne & Samina are away - but only on the condition that one them brings the sunshine back with them! :p
Chocolate Champions!
Yesterday we announced the winners of the Easter Egg Raffle, organised by the lovely Lesley, and here they are!
Sorry Yvonne, Helen got the After Eight egg..but you are in Florida so...swings and roundabouts! :p
Well done everyone, and enjoy! :)
Forgotten to do your grocery shop?
Then fear not! We move now from talk of chocolate eggs to fruit and veg!
The wonderful Catering & Hospitality students are wheeling trolleys of fruit and veg all round the college today - and for much cheaper than supermarket prices!
They've already dropped in to Student Services this morning, but I'm sure if you have a hunt around on your lunch break you'll be able to catch them! :)
Student Crew news
Bruno goes live!
Bruno, one of our new Student Crew, has been training with us all this week
A big thank you to Kristine, Rocky and Sandra for supporting him on his first day with us on Tuesday. Bruno went live on the phones Tuesday afternoon, and was on the Call Centre solo for the whole day on Thursday!
The Call Centre can be a scary place when you first start, but Bruno dived in and soon got into the swing of it! Well done Bruno, and thank you for all of your hard work so far :)
Rocky's 1 year anniversary in Student Services!
Congratulations to Rocky, who has been working in Student Services for 1 year now.
To celebrate, here's a picture of the young man busy at work with Layla!
Shannon's fund-raising event
Our wonderful Shannon took part in 'Dotty Day' on Monday by wearing her polka-dot onesie to College.
This fundraising event was in association with the RNIB to support blind and partially-sighted people:
Apologies - we do not have any pictures of Shannon in her onesie, so here are some fabulous polka-dot shoes instead! :)
The next generation
Here's a look at our current student crew team: Rocky, Bruno and Shannon. As the weeks get busier and busier, our student crew will become invaluable to us, so let's carry on doing all we can to support them in all of the hard work they do for the department.
Employment & Careers
Employment Shop Newsletter
It's that time again - the new issue of the Employment Shop newsletter is out... and here it is!
Many thanks to the lovely Jordan, who compiles the newsletter. Please have a read of the new issue, and ensure you let students know about these great opportunities!
Student Support
Student Union Elections Closing Date!
A reminder that Student Union Elections close TODAY at 3PM!
Remind students to get a wriggle on if they want to put in an application. And, if they miss the deadline, we're still looking for Student Ambassadors! :)
If anyone wants to apply to be a Student Ambassador, just get them to fill out the Google Docs form below:
Also, in case any students ask to see her, please note that Claire will be away next week. She will however be back in the office on Monday 14th April :)
National Citizen Service - a great opportunity for our Students!
National Citizen Service (NCS) is a great scheme that many of our students may be interested in!
It is open to all 16 and 17-year-olds in England, and helps them to build their skills for work and life, while they take on new challenges and meet new friends.
It runs in the spring, summer and autumn, with a short time away from home to take part in a team project that will help their community.
NCS brings together young people from different backgrounds and helps them develop greater confidence, self-awareness and responsibility. It encourages personal and social development by working on skills like leadership, teamwork and communication.
Participants develop a social action project to deal with a local issue they’re passionate about, and spend 30 hours putting the project into action in their community.
If students would like more information about the NCS scheme, please direct them to David Shallow.
And if you would like to read a little more on the scheme, please see the website below :)
School Partnership
A big thank you from Manor Primary School!
Penny came back from two days off to a very touching series of thank you letters from the lovely students of Manor Primary School, who paid us a visit last Friday.
The students had a fantastic time looking around and meeting everyone, as the letters show - though most of them could only talk about the delicious food they had in the Kitchen!
We made them all feel like proper grown-ups with their ID cards, which they absolutely loved! And... in spite of our little Symmetry malfunction, all of the students now have their very own Reading College ID card! Maybe they'll have real ones too, in a few years' time!
Here's one of the letters Penny received from Georgina- isn't she adorable??
Sports & Enrichment
Round up, Round up!
..For a new activity! Yes, in the very near future we'll be adding Rounders to the repetoire of Sports Activities run here at Reading College. So... if badminton or cricket didn't float your boat, this might!
I haven't played since School, but I'm game if you are. What do you say, guys? :)
As always, the classes will be open to Staff and Students alike, and anyone interested just needs to get in touch with Sagheer on Sagheer.Khaliq@reading-college.ac.uk
Disability Sports Sessions - coming soon!
In the near future, we will be having Football sessions with Reading F.C coaches for our disabled students.
This is a great opportunity, and not only will the sessions be great fun for the students, but they'll also be lucky enough to have the fantastic coaches from Reading Football Club leading the classes!
If you know of any students who may be interested in this opportunity, please do let them know. More details will be up on The Edge very soon, or they can simply send Sagheer an email to find out more information. Thanks guys :)
Staff Gym Fitness sessions coming soon!
Yes, the news we've all been waiting for - we'll be able to get full use of the fantastic gym facilities very soon! (Hopefully after Easter to burn of all those chocolate eggs!)
Here's some pictures showing the fun activities run in the gym, and the state-of-the-art equipment. Maybe next time we'll be seeing you guys in these pictures, eh? ;)
Get Active Week!
Burn off those Easter calories with some fun actvities in Berkshire's 'Get Active Week'. The week runs from 24th May to 1st June. Please see the below flyer for more details :)
Pssstt... Interested in Coaching?
If you are, or know anyone who is, get in touch with Sagheer on Sagheer.Khaliq@reading-college.ac.uk
So long as you're qualified, we'd love new coaches to bring even more variety to the already brilliant fitness & sport activities that we have on offer for our Students and Staff.